This Week in Stamford

Updated 8:36 pm, Sunday, April 19, 2015

Open forum on development plan

The Glenbrook Neighborhood Association will host an open forum on Wednesday regarding a proposal that would raise the permitted building heights of new developments from three to four stories. The law firm of Carmody, Torrance, Sandak and Hennessey, along with city land-use officials, will be on hand to present and take questions about the plan. In February, Carmody filed a zoning application on behalf of a client to change the development regulations for Glenbrook's village commercial district. In addition to building height, the application also requests amendments to parking and setback standards.

Established in 2009, the district was designed to encourage more pedestrian-friendly development by setting height, setback and architectural requirements for new developments.

Wednesday's meeting is at Union Memorial Church, 58 Church St., from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Call 203-964-0078 or visitglenbrookassn.com

In its earliest form, the bill would have given the authority wide powers to use eminent domain to seize land near transit stations. But state lawmakers have since removed that power and clarified that local towns and cities will have control over whether the authority operates in their jurisdictions.

The city will consider street cameras to prevent traffic and other violations.

The Camera Review Committee discussed the possibility of installing new traffic cameras at its March meeting, as well as the possibility of keeping video records the cameras could produce.

Thaddeus Jankowski, the city's chief of public safety, health and welfare, said in March that "there has been an additional outcry for more video surveillance" since the stabbing death of a city man at Bedford and Broad streets.

The committee will meet at 9 a.m. in the Operations Department conference room on the 10th floor of Government Center, 888 Washington Blvd.

The city's youngest accused murderer, Marquest Hall, 15, and his alleged co-conspirator, James McLamb, 22, are scheduled to return to court Thursday.

Police say Hall stabbed Antonio Muralles, 52, several times after the Guatemalan immigrant stepped out of McDonald's at the foot of Bedford Street and inadvertently bumped into the teenager. The two were arraigned on murder charges three weeks ago.

Because of the severity of the incident, Hall will be tried as an adult if a plea agreement cannot be reached. Pleas for both defendants in the case cannot be made until they decide whether to have a hearing on probable cause. At their last court appearance, attorneys for both said they were contemplating whether to request the hearing.

The murder charges could potentially send both to prison for up to 60 years.